I Thought Labor Would Be Fast
Submitted by Alyssa_In_Wonderland
The scene was chaotic. While one nurse prepared the baby station, another assisted the doctor with her operating gown and gloves. I could hear my friends and family outside the door of my delivery room as they anticipated news of a healthy baby girl. I started to get nervous. My thoughts raced. Would I be a good mother? Would she love me? What will she look like? What will she sound like? I closed my eyes and imagined her. Then I heard my doctor say it was time to push.
I was ready. I'd waited nine long, hard months to see this precious being face-to-face. I'd heard one nurse tell another that I was one of the sweetest women in labor she'd ever seen. I giggled to myself hearing her comment, thinking about all those births I'd seen on TV and movies where the camera pans into the delivery room to see some crazed psycho woman. Her legs are up in stirrups, her hair in disarray and an excruciating look of pain on her face while she screams obscenities at everyone around her.
Fortunately for everyone, I was way too focused for that. Plus I'd had the epidural earlier so I was feeling really good at this point. Especially after 13 hours of painful contractions and 5 more hours of dilating. I had my Mom on my right side and my daughter's daddy on the left, a nurse on either side and another one behind my doctor in front of me. Dr. Glaser tells me "It's show time!"
I wanted my baby to have a nice round head, none of that cone-headedness was going to happen to my baby. My Mom had told me that if I push real hard and get her out fast that she'd have a perfect head. So, that's what I did. I pushed so hard that labor only lasted for twenty minutes! I was so proud of myself, but there was no time to think about that now. I finally had my baby girl in my arms. She was everything I'd ever dreamed of and more. Until that moment I'd never known what love really was. I loved my mom, I loved my dad, I loved my family and friends. Not even that could prepare me for the immeasurable love I felt at that moment. My Caitlyn Faith was here.
The journey to motherhood is an exciting and scary all at the same time. I was originally due to give birth on February 24th of 2000, but she did not come that day. I had a doctor's appointment with Dr. Glaser at 1:00 in the afternoon where she told me I was one centimeter dilated. I remember having contractions all day and getting more excited after each one. For months I'd had dreams about her. Little things like being able to see her feet through a transparent pregnant belly, or actual labor scenes. I laugh now as I look back on my uneducated imagination about how giving birth would be. However, like I said, Miss Caitlyn did not want to make her grand entrance into the world that day. This was only a prelude to her hereditary stubbornness.
That night I had one really strong contraction and it woke me up from a dead sleep. It seemed to only last about a minute and I had no others that followed so I went back to sleep. The next morning I woke up all of a sudden because I had the most realistic dream that I was in labor! I ran to the bathroom to assess the "situation" a little more. It was a false alarm. Three more days went by and still no baby! I was discouraged and more sad as the days went on. I had hives on my legs as well, which made me feel even worse.
All day on February 28th, I had contractions, but nothing happened. We waited and hoped that this would be the day we got to look at her sweet little face. That day seemed to last an eternity. I was hungry at about 10:30 pm so I had Mike, Caitlyn's dad, go to Arby's to get me a sandwich and a milkshake. I ate about half of the sandwich because I started to get nauseous so I had him throw it out in the "Herbie Curbie" so I wouldn't even smell it. After that I got tired so I decided to lay down and rest and told everyone I'd let them know if anything happened.
All of a sudden, at exactly 11:33 pm, my water broke. I was so excited as I ran to the bathroom yelling, "My water broke! My water broke!!" Instantly a tsunami of emotions rushed through me. I was excited, scared, happy, relieved, shocked and giddy. I was, what I thought was, minutes away from seeing the one person I've been in love with for the rest of my life. I heard my mom on the phone and I asked who she was talking to. My Aunt Stephanie. I ordered her to hang up and call my doctor! I couldn't believe she hadn't called her yet! I was about to have a baby any second! Little did I know.
It turns out Dr Glaser didn't even have to be there right away. I was in labor all night with strong and very painful contractions. It felt a little like someone was twisting my uterus like a wet washrag trying to wring it out. I was able to walk around a lot, the nurses said it would help the baby to move down to induce labor a little. After 13 hours of pain I was ready for some meds. I needed that epidural. The nurse called for the anesthesiologist.
After that the next four hours where a breeze. I was relaxed, calm, and excited. At about 4:30 pm I got to eat an orange popsicle, which was the best popsicle I'd ever eaten! It was exactly what I needed because up until then I was only allowed to eat ice chips, which where boring to my taste buds. Now I had this beautiful, flavorful orange popsicle. It was heavenly to me.
At 4:30 my nurse, Janet, came in and checked my dilation progress. She announced that I was finally ten centimeters! Right away the nurses rushed everyone but my Mom and Caitlyn's Dad out of the delivery room and into the waiting room. It was time. I was truly minutes away from seeing the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. After all was said and done. The drama died down, the guests left, Mike went home. I was all alone with my baby girl. I held her in amazement and awe that this beautiful thing was mine. I knew that from that moment on my life would never be the same, and I was right. She is the love of my life and I couldn't ask for a better daughter. My Caitlyn Faith.
Read more birth stories or share YOUR birth story now!
I was ready. I'd waited nine long, hard months to see this precious being face-to-face. I'd heard one nurse tell another that I was one of the sweetest women in labor she'd ever seen. I giggled to myself hearing her comment, thinking about all those births I'd seen on TV and movies where the camera pans into the delivery room to see some crazed psycho woman. Her legs are up in stirrups, her hair in disarray and an excruciating look of pain on her face while she screams obscenities at everyone around her.
Fortunately for everyone, I was way too focused for that. Plus I'd had the epidural earlier so I was feeling really good at this point. Especially after 13 hours of painful contractions and 5 more hours of dilating. I had my Mom on my right side and my daughter's daddy on the left, a nurse on either side and another one behind my doctor in front of me. Dr. Glaser tells me "It's show time!"
I wanted my baby to have a nice round head, none of that cone-headedness was going to happen to my baby. My Mom had told me that if I push real hard and get her out fast that she'd have a perfect head. So, that's what I did. I pushed so hard that labor only lasted for twenty minutes! I was so proud of myself, but there was no time to think about that now. I finally had my baby girl in my arms. She was everything I'd ever dreamed of and more. Until that moment I'd never known what love really was. I loved my mom, I loved my dad, I loved my family and friends. Not even that could prepare me for the immeasurable love I felt at that moment. My Caitlyn Faith was here.
The journey to motherhood is an exciting and scary all at the same time. I was originally due to give birth on February 24th of 2000, but she did not come that day. I had a doctor's appointment with Dr. Glaser at 1:00 in the afternoon where she told me I was one centimeter dilated. I remember having contractions all day and getting more excited after each one. For months I'd had dreams about her. Little things like being able to see her feet through a transparent pregnant belly, or actual labor scenes. I laugh now as I look back on my uneducated imagination about how giving birth would be. However, like I said, Miss Caitlyn did not want to make her grand entrance into the world that day. This was only a prelude to her hereditary stubbornness.
That night I had one really strong contraction and it woke me up from a dead sleep. It seemed to only last about a minute and I had no others that followed so I went back to sleep. The next morning I woke up all of a sudden because I had the most realistic dream that I was in labor! I ran to the bathroom to assess the "situation" a little more. It was a false alarm. Three more days went by and still no baby! I was discouraged and more sad as the days went on. I had hives on my legs as well, which made me feel even worse.
All day on February 28th, I had contractions, but nothing happened. We waited and hoped that this would be the day we got to look at her sweet little face. That day seemed to last an eternity. I was hungry at about 10:30 pm so I had Mike, Caitlyn's dad, go to Arby's to get me a sandwich and a milkshake. I ate about half of the sandwich because I started to get nauseous so I had him throw it out in the "Herbie Curbie" so I wouldn't even smell it. After that I got tired so I decided to lay down and rest and told everyone I'd let them know if anything happened.
All of a sudden, at exactly 11:33 pm, my water broke. I was so excited as I ran to the bathroom yelling, "My water broke! My water broke!!" Instantly a tsunami of emotions rushed through me. I was excited, scared, happy, relieved, shocked and giddy. I was, what I thought was, minutes away from seeing the one person I've been in love with for the rest of my life. I heard my mom on the phone and I asked who she was talking to. My Aunt Stephanie. I ordered her to hang up and call my doctor! I couldn't believe she hadn't called her yet! I was about to have a baby any second! Little did I know.
It turns out Dr Glaser didn't even have to be there right away. I was in labor all night with strong and very painful contractions. It felt a little like someone was twisting my uterus like a wet washrag trying to wring it out. I was able to walk around a lot, the nurses said it would help the baby to move down to induce labor a little. After 13 hours of pain I was ready for some meds. I needed that epidural. The nurse called for the anesthesiologist.
After that the next four hours where a breeze. I was relaxed, calm, and excited. At about 4:30 pm I got to eat an orange popsicle, which was the best popsicle I'd ever eaten! It was exactly what I needed because up until then I was only allowed to eat ice chips, which where boring to my taste buds. Now I had this beautiful, flavorful orange popsicle. It was heavenly to me.
At 4:30 my nurse, Janet, came in and checked my dilation progress. She announced that I was finally ten centimeters! Right away the nurses rushed everyone but my Mom and Caitlyn's Dad out of the delivery room and into the waiting room. It was time. I was truly minutes away from seeing the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. After all was said and done. The drama died down, the guests left, Mike went home. I was all alone with my baby girl. I held her in amazement and awe that this beautiful thing was mine. I knew that from that moment on my life would never be the same, and I was right. She is the love of my life and I couldn't ask for a better daughter. My Caitlyn Faith.
Read more birth stories or share YOUR birth story now!
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